


A Hounds Promise

by Syracard



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Carrying, Episode: s01e09 Baelor, Execution, Execution of Ned Stark, Fainting, Game of Thrones Spoilers, Moral Dilemmas, POV Sandor Clegane, Poor Sansa, Promises, Protective Sandor Clegane, Sandor Clegane Swears, Someone help Sansa, The Hound and The Little Bird
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-31
Updated: 2019-01-31
Packaged: 2019-10-20 01:01:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17612453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Syracard/pseuds/Syracard
Summary: He remembers when she was so happy. A pretty little bird who knew nothing of the true horrors of the world. Now this day will haunt them both for the rest of their lives.





	A Hounds Promise

He remembers when she was so happy. A pretty little bird who knew nothing of the true horrors of the world. Now this day will haunt them both for the rest of their lives.

 

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\•//////////

 

It’s clear what Sandor Clegane thinks about people. As a boy he used to think life was a wonderful thing full of endless possibilities. But after Gregor burnt him, his happiness was slaughtered by bitterness. And now he is seeing it all over again with her.

Sansa Stark. Daughter of Lord Eddard Stark. Though most of Sandor thinks he’s a fool, he knows he’s also a good man. A good man who’s loyalty put him right where he is today, confessing his treason. At first he thought the pretty highborn girl was just like all the others. Giggly, stupid things who dream of knights and fair maidens, obvious to how the world really is. But soon he realized she wasn’t like the rest of them. It’s not because she’s a lady who smiled pretty and never forgets her courtesies. It’s how she treats him.

His size and ugly face makes every girl and woman all but run away screaming. The first time he talked to her, he did see the fear in her eyes, which he expected. But she didn’t run away. She asked him a question, he answered, and then the prince stepped in. She quickly forgot about him and he was sent away, but it felt like the smallest of victories. The Stark girl looked afraid, but she talked to him. The only woman who talks to him gives him orders, all without looking at him. He knew Sansa is different.

After he fought Gregor to protect the Tyrell boy, she stood up and clapped for him, smiling her pretty smile. A true smile. No one has ever smiled at him like that. Everyone else followed and suddenly he was looking down, embarrassed. For once in his life he’s being seen as a hero, not a monster. But when he looked at her again, it didn’t feel as bad.

Sandor knows she has some fire, and it’s not just the red of her hair. He heard about how she tried to stand up to the queen when they ordered her direwolf to be killed. He would have given anything to see that, but he was busy bringing the butcher’s boy’s body back to the inn. The next time happened when the queen sent him to find her.

Gods she looked beautiful that day. His favorite look of hers so far. When he found her his eyes drank in the tight little body wrapped up in that dress, particularly liking the way it made her sweet little teats look. The Gods took their sweet time on her. When he stepped closer to her, she back away, keeping her eyes on his face. “Stay away from me. I’ll tell my father, I’ll-I’ll tell the queen.”

He just laughed and asked “Who do you think sent me?”

One thing he knows is he’s not Gregor and he never will be. If Gregor was in his place right now, he knows the Northern beauty would suffer a fate worse than that of Elia Martell. That would never happen, he wouldn’t let it happen. Though she used her pretty words to try to scare him and backed away, she didn’t run. When he reached her, he just grabbed her by her arm, not enough to hurt her, and said “The Lioness wants a word with you, Girl. It would be wise for you not to make her angry.”

The next time he saw her fire was when she was on her knees, begging for mercy for her father. And now again while she screamed for someone to stop Joffrey. _“Stop him! Stop!”_ Her pleas fell on deaf ears and the little cunt king just stood there smiling while Payne got ready.

Sandor looked at her and all he wanted to do was kill all of them, save Eddard and save her. Wrap her in his arms and tell her not to look. But if he steps out of line, he’ll be next. So he stood frozen and did nothing, getting angrier and angrier with every second.

 _Look away, Little Bird_.

But she didn’t, and they both flinched as his head was taken off by his own sword. In the distance some birds flew, and he hated them. They’re free, they can fly away, but she’s trapped. The severed head was picked up, his body was dragged away, and he was just in time to see her faint.

It took everything in him not to slaughter every single one of them and take her back to Winterfell himself. They tried to wake her up with no success and he pushed his way to her and said “Leave her be! I’ll take her back to her chambers.” They quickly got out of his way and he ignored the calls of Cersei and Joffrey as he carefully pulled her up into his arms. _“Move!”_

 

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\•//////////

 

No one followed or stopped him as he carried her back to her chambers. When he got there he opened the door, still being careful, and took her inside. Her dress had gotten dirty, her Southern style was messed up, and tears were drying on her cheeks. Sandor laid her down on her bed and thought about taking her hair down, but was afraid of hurting her.

So he just left her as is and stared down at her. “I’m sorry you had to see that, Little Bird. I knew you meant well for your father...While we were on the Kingsroad, I should have pulled you aside that day and warned you about him. All of them. Should’ve warned you, your sister, and your father and try to get you all out of here and back to Winterfell. Would be worth losin’ my head, but...Now you know who they really are, and you’ll be learning more and more with every day.”

She still didn’t stir, and he knew when she wakes up, it will all come rushing back. He would give his life to take that away from her. “I hear in the North they do things differently. _“The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword.”_ I like that. Would’ve pissed myself laughing watching him try to pick up that sword and cut off his head. We both know he’s too much of a bloody coward to do that. But...What’s done is done. He’s gone. Your sister could be anywhere. Your brother is fighting a war, and the little bird gets stuck with Lions.

But you won’t be alone. I’ll be with you, I promise you that. I can’t afford to step out of line, if I do, that’ll be the end of me. Then no more lookin’ after you, Little Bird. I won’t let anyone kill you. I’ll make ‘em wish their fathers never squirted them into their mothers bellies if they do. You might get hurt, though, I’m sure of it. Won’t let them hurt you too bad. Just keep singing your pretty songs and smile your pretty smile, and you should be fine.”

He looked around, hearing nothing and seeing no one. Good. Sandor looked back down at the Northern beauty and reached out. He gently stroked her pale cheek with his armored hand and said “I have to go now, Little Bird. The Lions will wonder where their dog has gone.”

 

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\•//////////

 

“After I raise my armies and kill your traitor brother, I’m going to give you his head as well!”

“Or maybe he’ll give me yours.”

That surprised the hell out of all three of them. Sandor looked over at Sansa, fighting back a smile at her fire, but dreaded what might happen next.

“My mother tells me a king should never strike his lady. Ser Meryn.”

Sandor looked away but flinched as Meryn smacked her once, twice, all while she never made a sound. Unlike Joffrey who cried when his uncle did the same in Winterfell. All was quiet as he kept his eyes on her and inside he knew exactly what she planned to do. She stepped towards the king and he stopped her, turning her around to wipe the blood from her lip with a shaking hand.

She looked up at him with big blue eyes and he tried not to look back, but couldn’t help it. He handed her the bloodied cloth and Joffrey asked “Will you obey now? Or do you need another lesson?”

When the others left, he turned and looked around before looking back at her. “Save yourself some pain, Girl. Give him what he wants.”

She tried to give the cloth back but he said “You’ll be needin’ that again.”

Just as he turned to walk away, she asked “Sandor?”

Sandor stopped and turned back to face her. This was the first time she’s ever said his name. “Yes?”

She looked down and said “I heard you.” Before looking back up. He didn’t know what she meant but after a moment, he realized. “Thank you.” And all he would do was nod in return. 


End file.
